Kendra Meinert column: 'Price is Right' live show coming down to Weidner

If you've always secretly wanted to spin the wheel on 'The Price Is Right,'' your chance is as close as Wednesday, when the traveling version of the popular game show ? Plinko chips and all ? takes the stage at the Weidner Center.

Without going over, what number anniversary are both "The Price Is Right'' and Good Times Programming celebrating this year?

If you said 40 years, come on down!

In a nice bit of timing, it just so happens that both institutions - the first on CBS and the latter on the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay campus - are marking four decades of entertaining people. So when the student-run Good Times board went looking for a fall event to bring in for students and the community, a Showcase Showdown at the Weidner Center seemed like the perfect fit.

"The Price Is Right, Live!,'' a traveling version of TV's longest-running game show, breaks out such games as Plinko and Cliff Hangers at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Here's how it works with the Drew Carry-less production: The general public pays $38.50 for a ticket ($15 for UWGB students) and is able to register in the Weidner lobby for up to three hours before the show for a shot at getting called up onstage to play. Approximately 40 to 50 names will be pulled, said Grant Winslow, program coordinator for the Office of Student Life.

That's better odds than the studio audience for the taping in California, where contestants are picked from the line beforehand based on how goofy or chatty they are, he said. There are some serious prizes up for grabs on Wednesday night - $25,000 worth.

Todd Newton, who has been among the rotating roster of hosts of the "Live!'' version in Las Vegas for the last 10 years, will have the microphone at the Weidner. The game show models formerly known as Barker's Beauties will be in tow, although it's uncertain if they'll be women who travel with the production or if they'll be recruited locally through a model search.

Ticket sales have been strong, with the main floor already sold out, Winslow said. When the idea was first brought up as an option for a program to be presented jointly by the Weidner and Good Times, he was surprised by how excited students were about it.

"But what does every kid do when they're home sick from school?'' Winslow asked. "They lay on the couch and eat their soup and crackers and watch 'The Price Is Right' at 10 in the morning on CBS.''

When Good Times started 40 years ago as the Shorewood Activities Board, a major production like "The Price Is Right, Live!'' wasn't. Bookings in those early years of the '70s were more coffeehouse bands and comedians, likely done on a much smaller budget, said Winslow, who has worked with Good Times for the last 16 years.

In more recent years, the eight-person Good Times executive board and another 10 to 20 student volunteers each school year have been behind bringing in some major events that draw both from the campus population and the community.

The biggest regret? Passing on a then-unknown country singer by the name of Taylor Swift. "We could've had her for a song,'' Winslow said.

Tickets for "The Price Is Right, Live!'' are on sale through www.ticketstaronline.com and (800) 895-0071 and on campus through University Ticketing Services for students.

Gigs

The Black Boot owner Pat Tiedemann didn't have to twist Bill Schulz's arm to get him play Saturday night. The Green Bay singer-songwriter says the acoustics at the De Pere bar and restaurant at 100 S. Broadway make it one of his favorite venues.

It also doesn't hurt that he's got some new material to try out on live audiences. Yes, it took him 16 years to make his current self-titled solo debut, which came out last year, but he swears he's halfway through recording a diverse collection of songs for the follow-up. As he did last time around, he's doing it all himself - mixing, mastering, playing all the instruments. "It's the best way to grow as a musician,'' he says.

Catch him from 9 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the Boot, and see if you can talk him into playing "Drain the Heart'' off the forthcoming album.

» If you thought Columbus Day was one of those uneventful yawner holidays, brace yourself for a gig being billed as the "Greatest Columbus Day Show Ever!'' on Monday at Phat Headz, 420 N. Clay St., Green Bay. One-man band Bob Log III will headline, with opening sets by Cheap Time from Nashville, Tenn. (a "modern day garage rock/low-fi version of '70s power punk pop'' - got that?), blues by Molly Gene the OneWhoaman Band and Green Bay's own Muddy Udders to kick off the night at 8 p.m. Cover is $6.

» Female-fronted Los Angeles rock band LA Velvet will sign copies of its "The One I Love'' album and perform an acoustic set from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Rock N Roll Land, 504 S. Military Ave., Green Bay. Tempra is also scheduled to do a short in-store set.

Both bands will be joined by Scarlett Letter and Benson Klemme for a rock show Friday at Green Bay Distillery, 835 Potts Ave., Ashwaubenon. Tickets are $10 at the doors.

» And in another reason to be thankful to be living in a city that still has real, live, local record stores, rising Nashville rock darlings the Features will play four or five songs and sign autographs at 3 p.m. Saturday inside The Exclusive Co., 423 Dousman St., Green Bay. They'll headline that night at the Crunchy Frog, 301 S. Broadway, Green Bay. Army Navy and Midwestern Charm open at 9 p.m. Tickets are $12.

» Trapper Schoepp and The Shades have been added as the two opening acts for The Wallflowers Oct. 30 at the Meyer Theatre.

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Kendra Meinert column: 'Price is Right' live show coming down to Weidner

Without going over, what number anniversary are both ?The Price Is Right?? and Good Times Programming celebrating this year?

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